Cleansing structure



cLEANsING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 5, 1965 ska-MLV ,WMA/faz United States Patent O 3,428,405 CLEANSING STRUCTURE lHoward Larry Posner, 2545 W. Peterson Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60645 Filed Dec. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 511,529 U.S. Cl. 401--201 Int. Cl. A47k 7/03 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to scouring articles and has particular relation to a longlasting device of abrasive quality for use in scouring, polishing, cleaning and similar applications in both domestic and industrial environments. One purpose is to provide a scouring article having self-contained and long-lasting cleansing material.

A particular purpose is to provide a scouring article having self-contained cleansing material and means for limiting the dispensation of said material from said article.

Another purpose is to provide a scouring article having opposite cleansing surfaces of varying abrasive qualities and a source of cleansing material therebetween.

Another purpose is to provide a scouring article containing a cleansing material of extended life which article is not unduly harsh on the hands such as metallic abrasive pads and the like.

Another purpose is to provide a scouring article including a pair of scouring elements having a source of cleansing material therebetween, the scouring elements being secured together by an elastomeric adhesive, the adhesive being arranged to impede and slow the dissolution of said cleansing material.

Another purpose is to provide a scouring article composed of a pair of scouring elements, a source of cleansing material carried within said elements and means surrounding said cleansing material and effective to impede and slow the dissolution of said cleansing material.

Another purpose is to provide a new and improved scouring article usable in numerous forms to effectively and satisfactorily perform as a scouring, cleansing and polishing medium.

Another purpose is to provide an improved scouring article effective to avoid many of the disadvantages of prior devices proposed for similar purposes.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 isa perspective view;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view with parts broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view with parts broken away and illustrating a variant form of the invention;

3,428,405 Patented Feb. 18, 1969 ice FIGURE 5 is a view taken on the line 5 5 of FIG- URE 4, and;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view in section of a variant form of cleansing material and barrier.

Like parts are indicated by like numerals throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring now to the drawings and FIGURE 1, the numeral 1 generally designates a rst scouring pad portion. Numeral 2 generally designates a second yscouring pad portion. The portions 1 and 2 are illustrated as generally rectilinear in over-all configuration and have the same length and width dimensions. While it will be understood that the portions 1 and 2 conveniently partake of the same general configuration, said configuration need not be rectangular or rectilinear, although the general dimensional relationships illustrated in FIGURE 1 have been found completely satisfactory.

The portion 1 of the scouring article of the invention is conveniently of substantially greater thickness than the portion 2. Portion 1 is elastomeric and formed entirely of a spongelike material of foamed resin of which polyurethane has been found fully satisfactory.

Portion 2 of the scouring article of the invention has a more abrasive quaity than portion 1 and comprises a nonwoven fibrous abrasive element of extremely open structure and having an extremely high void volume or low density. In general, tougher synthetic fibrous resins are preferred to serve as an abrasive. A material formed in the manner disclosed in U.S. Patent 2,958,593 and which is available in the market place under the trademark Scotchbrite has been found fully satisfactory. In addition nonwoven fibrous abrasives have also been found fully satisfactory.

As may be perhaps best seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5, one of the major `surfaces such as the surface 3 of portion 1 has formed therein a pocket 4. Positioned within the pocket 4 is a piece or bar of soap 5. A layer of elastomeric adhesive film is between the portions, the function whereof will be later described. The cavity of pocket 4 may be conveniently formed in a manner productive of particular advantages. A formed die having the shape of the desired cavity or pocket may be heated and applied to the first surface 3 of the portion 1. The heat of the die causes the polyurethane materi-al of portion 1 to shrink to form the cavity. A blast of hot air may similarly cause the polyurethane material to shrink away from the heat to form `a suitable cavity. The pores of openings of the polyurethane material are reduced and a denser material thus lines the cavity. As a result, the adhesive film is of greater density within the cavity. The `combined reduction in the pore size of the material lining the cavity and the increased density of the adhesive film further restricts the emulsification or liquidation of the soap source and the soap bar is provided with a firm bed aiding in its protection from cracking, breaking or drying out.

The foregoing portions which are adjoined have been shown as a combination of an elastomeric and an abrasive material. I only require, however, that such adjoining portion be porous 0r have tortuous paths so that dissolved cleansing material may pass therethrough. The foregoing combination of materials lead to particular advantages but other exible materials could be serviceable such as cloth.

The cleansing material has been shown as a piece of soap but any soluble cleansing material will operate so long as it operates in its intended manner, that is, it reduces the surface tension of water. Among such materials are the Well known detergents, that is, salts or alkyl sulfates and alkyl aryl sulfonates. The cleansing material may be a unitary solid as a cake of soap, Hakes, powders or the like. Viscous liquids m-ay also be used, but the cleansing solids are preferred, especially the unitary solids.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-3 the entire surface of portion 1, including the area within pocket 4 thereof, has applied thereto a pervious barrier or film or layer of adhesive material, in particular an elastomeric adhesive. Such an adhesive remains exible and does not harden. A hard barrier would not be sufficiently pervious. The opposed surface 6 of portion 2 has adhesive similarly applied thereto. This pervious barrier permits the cleansing material to pass through, but at a substantially reduced rate to increase the useful life of the cleansing agent.

When using elastomeric adhesive, it is preferred to use a latex and appropriate solvent or solvents which are well known for this purpose. The term latex refers to the emulsion of natural rubber but I also intend the term to cover the synthetic rubbers which are produced in latex form by emulsion polymerization. Such a latex based elastomeric adhesive should be applied in an amount sufiicient so the film or layer does not unduly break down and improperly impede the passage of the cleansing material. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize which kind of layer meets their requirements. Likewise the layer should not be applied in excess since it might unduly impede the passage of the cleansing material. Again, the practitioner will readily recognize when such has occurred.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, the soap 5 is enclosed within a separate container 7 which may conveniently take the form of a Pliofilm or other thermoplastic bag having a plurality of spaced `apertures 8 in the opposite sides thereof. These apertures should be sufficiently small in size and few in number so that the cleansing material is discharged or dispensed at a desirably reduced rate. The bar and bag 7 together seat within the pocket 4. In this form of the invention the opposed adhesive films or layers are applied to the perimeter only of the opposed surfaces of portions 1 and 2 as indicated at 9 in FIGURE 4.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 6, the soap 5 is enveloped in a closely adhering elastomeric film 10 which need not be provided with any apertures. Such a dried, adhering film is formed by coating the soap with latex based elastomeric adhesive, and then allowing the solvent to be removed by evaporation or the like. The cake 5 with the adhering latex film 10 is deposited in a recess or well or pocket 4 and portions 1 and 2 are then bonded in any conventional way. When the article is manipulated by squeezing or the like, the film 10 will undergo sufiicient breakdown to permit the cleansing material to be dispensed at a substantially reduced rate.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

The scouring article is `activated by manipulating same in water, preferably squeezing the fiexible portions several times until the water begins to dissolve the cleansing material, and the dissolved material begins to leach out of the porous portions.

The product is formed by applying a film or layer of adhesive to the opposed surfaces 3, 6, respectively, of portions 1 and 2. The source of cleansing material or soap bar 5 is then placed in pocket 4 and surfaces 3 and 6 are brought together for adhesion thereof.

The form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 is constructed by placing the source of cleansing material or soap bar 5 in bag 7, then placing the bar 5 and bag 7 in pocket 4 of portion 1 and bringing the opposed surfaces 3, 6 of portions 1 and 2 together for adhesion of their opposed perimetral areas, such as that illustrated at 9. While the perimetral area illustrated at 9 is shown to be of sufiicient width, it will b9 understood that said width may vary substantially without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.

Because of the porous, open-work nature of the portions 1 and 2, it will be understood that the lm of elastomeric adhesive applied to surfaces 3 and 6 thereof does not form a continuous layer, but that 4the filaments and contacting fibers or segments of portions 1 and 2 are adhered together. Sufficient numbers of such fibers or segments adhere together to insure against unintended separation of por-tions 1 and 2. The adhesive film applied to surfaces 3 and 6 encompass the soap source 5 in the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES l3 and serve to impede the dissolution of the soap source 5 in the use of the cleansing article. Sufficient tortuous paths remain open through the portions 1 and 2 for passage of liquid, such as water, through the portions 1 and 2 for contact with the soap source 5 and for return passage of the emulsified soap and water mixture to the outer surfaces of the cleansing article for cleansing purposes. The impedance of the dissolution of the soap source greatly lengthens the useful life of said soap source and thus of the cleansing article.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 the emulsifying contact of liquid with soap source 5 is limited by the bag 7, the number and size of apertures 8 which are formed therein being adjustable to control the amount of such Contact and the consequent useful life of the soap source 5 and that resultant useful life of the cleansing article of the invention. The width of the adhesive area 9 may similarly iniiuence the inward passage of liquid and the outward passage of a liquidsoap mixture.

Thus the invention enables the provision of a substantially complete portion 1 of the scouring article, the pocket 4 being a minimal reduction thereof while providing an extended useful life of the cleansing material of the invention.

I have shown the cleansing material between adjoining portions of porous materials, and such scouring articles may be disposed following exhaustion of the cleansing material. There is no economic disadvantage from such disposal because the pervious barrier increases the useful life of the cleansing material many times, up to about l0 fold. If, however, it is desired to continue using the adjoining portions then an exterior access may be provided such as a slit to introduce a new supply of cleansing material between the adjoining portions. This material may be placed in a well or pocket such as 4 which is lined with the pervious layer, or a cleansing material in an apertured liexible bag may be inserted, or a cleansing material with a closely adhering latex film may be used to reload the scouring article.

The foregoing invention can now 4be practiced, and such practitioners will know that the invention is not necessarily restricted to the particular embodiments presented herein. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the term of the following claims as given meaning by the preceding description.

What is claimed is: 1. A scouring article which consists of, a porous layer of exible polyurethane foam forming a first scouring portion,

a fiexible layer of nonwoven synthetic fibers adhesively bonded together at their points of contact forming a second scouring portion,

a soluble surface active detergent deposited between the first and second scouring portions, and

a pervious layer of flexible elastomeric adhesive film completely enveloping the surface active detergent and of sufficient thickness to substantially reduce the rate of solubilization and passage of said detergent through the scouring portions when said article is in operation.

2. The scouring article of claim 1 in which the pervious layer of elastomeric adhesive film envelops the surface 5 6 active detergent by adhering to the configurations of said 3,080,688 3/ 1963 Politzer 51-296 detergent. 3,175,331 3/ 1965 Klein 51-295 3. The scouring article of claim 1 which includes a 3,177,055 4/ 1965 Ruckle et al. 51-295 recessed area in one of said scouring portions and addi- 3,261,675 7/ 1966 Cameron 51--295 tionally the surface active detergent is deposited in said 5 2,083,871 6/ 1937 Serewicz 401--201 recessed area. 2,574,854 11/1951 West 401-201 4. The scouring article of claim 3 in which the recessed 2,899,780 8/ 1959 Bottino 401-201 area has a greater density than the remaining area of 3,066,347 12/ 1962 Vosbikian et al 401-201 polyurethane foam.

References Cited s 1 U. C XR. UNITED STATES PATENTS 295 297 1,987,130 1/ 1935 Shapero 51-294 10 DONALD J. ARNOLD, Primary Examiner. 

